WEEK 2

[bathymetric]

So far, good news! You've managed to avoid killing! A week has passed in the facility, but how many more are there to go until one of you tries out Rule Seven? I mean.... we know, but.

No new areas just yet, it remains you guys and yours here for now. Well, and Angel, but again - you don't exactly see her unless you want to. It's more than a little lonely... maybe someone ought to shake things up.



SUNDAY | MONDAY | TUESDAY | WEDNESDAY | THURSDAY

[ ooc: Welcome to Week 2, your first case week! Remember to turn in regains here, your AC for last week here, and if you like, come visit Angel's office hours here!

Comments

[lovelikeyou]

[Rose is just gonna be hiding out in Room 20 for the rest of the day after the motive! She's not...

She's fine. She's fine. She has to be fine. She just needs a little bit of time to be fine.]

[philoxenia]

[ It's hard to miss a reaction like that. And while Mira is shaken up, she's mostly confused by what was on her note, so...

Well. To Rose's room it is. She knocks lightly on the door, then-- ]

Rose? It's Mira. Um, you don't have to answer, but if you'd like company... I'm here for you.

[lovelikeyou]

I'm okay.

[audibly not okay and also hiding in her room after running away in tears, but

ok]

[philoxenia]

[ ah, mood, rose. ]

... Are you sure? Is there anything I can get for you?

[lovelikeyou]

No. But thank you.

[......oh. wait.]

Is that meeting still happening?

[philoxenia]

It is, but... I think we'd understand if you'd prefer not to come.

[lovelikeyou]

Do you?

[Ordinarily, she can't afford to show even as much weakness as she already has. But she's not the leader of anybody here. They don't even know that side of who Rose Quartz is meant to be.

Well, except Jasper. But Jasper's one reason she shouldn't go out there, if she can't contain herself. They always did say she was overemotional.]

...maybe. I'll decide a little later.

[philoxenia]

I do.

[ She knows how it goes. Mira takes a seat outside Rose's door, knees pulled up to her chest. ]

I don't know what yours said, or what you're going through... but I know very, very much what it's like to hurt so much that you don't want to do anything at all.

But you don't have to be alone. We hardly know each other, but still... if you want some company, I'll stay. Even if it's just on the other side of this door.

[lovelikeyou]

...I'm not the only person who would be hurt by this.

[The other Crystal Gems. The Earth. They'd take it all away.]

[philoxenia]

[ ... oh.

She's quiet for a while. She's not really... good at this kind of thing, but. She's here, and Rose has been nothing but nice to her, so. ]

... I can see why it's so difficult. It's one thing to be hurt yourself, but... something else entirely if others get hurt. [ Boy, she gets that. ] But I-- F-for what it's worth, I think we'll be okay... And the people you love and care about, too.

Even if it doesn't seem like it, I believe that completely.

[ She has to... or she'll lose herself. ]

[lovelikeyou]

...thank you.

[Rose doesn't believe that, not necessarily. She'd like to, but...either way, though, it's a nice thing to say.]

[philoxenia]

You're welcome, Rose.

[ She wouldn't blame her, honestly. Still... ]

We have to look after each other... right?

[lovelikeyou]

You're right. We should.

[But she's got an awful lot of people to look after.]

[fivestagegod]

[Yeah, Birkin isn't exactly the most empathetic of people, but that reaction was...well, it was noticeable, and while he's more than willing to give her some time - he's got a meeting to run and people to talk to today, after all - he does want to at least check on her a bit.

So he'll knock on the door later in the evening; not at night, not fully, but getting there.]

Hey, Rose. Just here to check on you. You need anything?

[lovelikeyou]

No, thank you.

[By now, at least, it doesn't sound like she's still crying.]

How was the meeting?

[fivestagegod]

It went all right. I can fill you in on some of it later, if you want.

[Now seems like a bit much, but later.

He's quiet for a moment.]

I get that the whole thing today was bad. I'm not going to ask you about it unless you really want to talk about it. But we're going to manage, okay?

[lovelikeyou]

...do you think so?

[fivestagegod]

Yeah, I do.

[...]

We're taking it kind of hard. Mine's not...really great, personally. But I think there are enough of us that'll try to get through it. Either because we don't want to give the Professor the satisfaction of messing with us, or because we don't consider killing to be worth it, or just because of who we are as people, I guess.

It'll be rough, but it'll be okay.

[lovelikeyou]

[Because of who they are...]

That's good.

[fivestagegod]

[He's quiet for a moment, leaning back against the wall, the gesture idle.]

You know it's all right if you're not okay right now, right?

[lovelikeyou]

[Okay to not be okay? Sounds fake.]

Of course.

god I'm sorry

[hardnosed]

Hey. Rose.

[ Jasper, if only to ensure nobody else is in the lounge, waits until it's fully nighttime to come up to her door. She doesn't care about the others seeing her like this and judging her accordingly. She just doesn't want to deal with them getting in her way. ]

We missed you at the meeting.

[lovelikeyou]

[Oh. Well. You don't have to be a Sapphire to predict this.]

It's alright. William and Mira told me what happened.

[She's not half so sanguine as she sounds; of course she isn't. But she learned the importance of keeping a handle on her feelings a long time ago. What happened today was a crack in that shell, but she didn't...she'd wanted to scream. If she has to do something, it's better to cry quietly somewhere private than to get angry.]

[hardnosed]

Yeah?

[ No surprises there! Mira in particular is much too trusting, considering how physically weak she is. ]

So, what are you gonna tell them?

[lovelikeyou]

There isn't much to tell. Nobody's asked.

[Which is kind of them, really.]